Please help! Seeking every legal avenue for vengeance after a slaughter (TX).

[Imbri]

Yeah, we put up electric fencing across the part of the yard that had been unfenced.

 

[GeeseMama]

First let me say I am so sorry for your loss. It is truly horrible when you have to lose them that way. I went through the same thing but it wasn't two dogs it was just one. The owner just did not care at all that the dog was out. He didn't care how many animals this dog killed He didn't care if the dog would have gotten hit by a car or somebody would have ended up shooting the dog It's just a sad situation all in all. I know it's really hard but please make sure that you take pictures. Also if the dogs are out a lot set up trail cams or make sure that you're taking pictures when you see them on your property or that your mother-in-law takes pictures when she sees them as well. I'm not sure how Texas works but here in PA we call dog law for those types of issues. The guy That left his dog out was charged criminally because he was fined so many times and it didn't stop. But I had to have proof. Also and I know this is horrible but dog law here actually told me that I had every right to shoot that dog. I couldn't do it but I know that there were neighbors that did take shots at it. I hope this helps again I'm so sorry for what you've been through

 

[TheOddOneOut]

@Imbri , any updates?

 

[cmom]

@Imbri , any updates?

I'm curious too. My best advice is to document and get pictures of everything. If you have a smartphone have it on you so you can photograph, for example the dogs in your yard. I don't know if I could ever find the thread but a BYC member posted several years ago of a neighbors dog that kept coming on her property and did kill some of her birds. She went to the owner of the dog and he claimed it wasn't his dog on his property. The next time the dog showed up on her property she shot it with a paintball. I don't remember the outcome. I don't even know if it's legal to shoot a dog with a paintball but people have paintball wars. It's not lethal. Good luck...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

. I don't even know if it's legal to shoot a dog with a paintball but people have paintball wars. It's not lethal. Good luck...

It's considered animal cruelty because you shot them with the thought of pain teaching them to stay away or something like that. We had mentioned the paintball idea with our animal control people because our new neighbors have decided that dogs will do what dogs will do

 

[Imbri]

The dogs have not been seen since, though not because of animal control. Perhaps another neighbor shot and killed them. One can only hope.

Unfortunately, we had another tragedy . We had six 5.5 week old poults in a store-bought/assemble-yourself coop and something busted two of the coop doors inward (when they were supposed to only open out) and killed them just days after we moved them outside *cry*. Found three bodies out of the coop and a clump of black feathers from a fourth inside the “night time” part of the coop… never did find any sign of the last two despite multiple searches of the entire property. Since we had put up electric fencing across the unfenced part to keep the dogs out, I thought maybe it was the possum I had been seeing around, though I had a lot of doubts. The possum was eventually exonerated, though, when my mother-in-law spotted a mom raccoon and three “teenagers” CHASING our 20 lb cats!!

I corrected the design flaw in the coop after leaving a scathing review on Amazon but now I’m paranoid that it’s not the only one. Would raw chicken meat be as tempting as young poults? I want to test the coop against the raccoons before we even think about putting our four new babies outside (Medea, Fatdactyl, Mary Jane and Chewfie Jr. ). I can’t handle any more heartbreak this season!! Thank goodness Little Debbie, Torchic and Marcie Joy are still thriving (and terrorizing our cats, lol).

 

[Douza]

My answer to the situation is this, make sure all your 'pets' are kept in suitable predator proof housing. They are just as likely to be killed by a fox or any other predators. We've all had loved pets killed before but I don't think that being agressive and arrogant to the neighbors is going to help.
If you knew that dogs were hanging around the area then the animals should really have all been securely locked up safely.
I'm not putting the blame on you at all, it's equally as bad of the dog owners to be letting their dogs roam the streets.

I do not want to keep pets locked in a cage. I have a fenced in yard with a very secure coop including paddle locks as a socio path kid had stolen my pet Badger and was caught with her after submerging her in water. This after pulling fencing back to crawl in behind the coop. I tried to protect her and put in $800 of security cameras. I submitted a complaint to the DAs office and the case was in juvenile court for the past two years. I attended most of the hearings as there were many home placement issues. In the end the now 12 year old was placed in a juvenile rehabilitation site that has great supportive services. I hope he will get the help he needs.
After 2 plus years of this Badger was killed by a neighbors cat who had killed other chickens over the past, the owners had promised to re home the cat. I have not personally watched the security camera video but the police did to confirm that she was killed by the cat. My yard is fenced in and this was the middle of the day.
I am devastated and her sister won’t come out of the coop.

the owner of the cat was fined for mot hanging a bell on the cat and I am considering what more I can do.

I know that it is a complicated and emotional issue. Many states now recognize that pets are not just property and have value beyond that of as one court said “ a piece of furniture or fence.”

 

[McChooky]

Two beautiful drakes (Freya and Marshall Mathers) and a gorgeous rooster (Mozzie) were violently and viciously slaughtered in our yard today. They were all just 10 months old and the ducks had come to us as hatchlings. Had my poor, traumatized Mother-in-law (who lives in a separate trailer on the same property) not happened to come home when she did, our three hens would've died too.

When she came home, she saw Freya and Mozzie dead and two dogs trapping Lil' Debbie in a corner behind our roses so they could kill her. It took FIVE fits of deliberately craxy-sounding screaming to chase the dogs off to the point they didn't try to come right back when the screaming stopped. Once they left, husband's mom knocked on our bedroom window to wake me up and I immediately shoo'd Torchic and Marcie Joy into the house before rescuing and comforting a truly petrified Debbie, who had flattened herself to the ground in the corner she got tree'd in.

These neighbors have allowed all of their dogs to free-range in our neighborhood for years... since long before we moved in behind husband's parents. Also, they do not spay or neuter. For example, the female murderer came back to the crime scene later with nearly-grown puppies in tow to move Mozzie's body.

Our poultry are not livestock, they are pets. Treasured family members who we'd love to have live inside with us if that wasn't so unfeasible. My husband and I both vastly prefer animals to kids - we're approaching 40 with no kids and a full menagerie of animal companions.

"Devastated" does not even begin to cover how I feel right now. I had no idea what a threat those stupid dogs were because they're fairly small and because long before our poultry was even born, the male murderer tunneled under the fence of our next door neighbor long ago - we always see him in their yard "visiting" the german shepherd that lives there and there's a couple dozen chickens that free-range on that property.

It is absolutely unacceptable (and illegal) to let dogs under your care strut around the neighborhood unleashed and unsupervised and brutally murdering other people's pets purely for, by all accounts, sport.

The forum-appropriate version of my mission statement is this:
I want to nail their butts to the wall in every possible way.

We're already pursuing the "county Animal Control" avenue. If I get my wish, all their dogs will be taken away. Hopefully all of their dogs not involved, including the murderers' puppies, can be rehabilitated and placed in loving and responsible homes.

It's not enough for me, though. Animal control seems like it's mostly about dealing with the animal situation and the dogs aren't actually the root of the problem here. I feel like animal control will take the dogs and the owners will get a fine and the next time I turn around they'll have gone out and gotten new dogs and the whole thing will happen all over again. I want to become these people's worst nightmare the way they neglectfully chose to become mine. My MIL said she thinks that it would be possible to file a civil suit against the nightmare neighbors, especially since 3-4 months ago, I spent around $800 I couldn't afford on vet bills fixing our ducks' bumblefoot issues.

We're super poor... but also only work part time and have zero social life outside of our pets and hanging out with husband's mom (who is equally outraged and traumatized by what happened). In other words, we've got the time to pursue EVERY avenue for revenge within the confines of the legal system. I want to go after them for every violation and illegal action I can come up with.

If any of you have ideas, bring 'em on! These people should never be allowed to have animals again.

I'm sorry

 

[McChooky]

You DO HAVE legal rights. Report to authorities and also to animal control.
Document everything, keep any s
And all receipts -medical care (even over the counter), repair costs
Take pics of everything-dead birds, dogs on your property, your coop and run.
(c) A person who discovers on the person's property a dog or coyote known or suspected of having killed livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may detain or impound the dog or coyote and return it to its owner or deliver the dog or coyote to the local animal control authority.  The owner of the dog or coyote is liable for all costs incurred in the capture and care of the dog or coyote and all damage done by the dog or coyote.
More later

Yes you have the right to detain or impound any dog until all expenses are paid including housing and food for the dog and if the dog needs groomed, medication or vaccinations or tags you can do all that and add those expenses too.

 

[mrtoren]

The dogs have not been seen since, though not because of animal control. Perhaps another neighbor shot and killed them. One can only hope.

Unfortunately, we had another tragedy . We had six 5.5 week old poults in a store-bought/assemble-yourself coop and something busted two of the coop doors inward (when they were supposed to only open out) and killed them just days after we moved them outside *cry*. Found three bodies out of the coop and a clump of black feathers from a fourth inside the “night time” part of the coop… never did find any sign of the last two despite multiple searches of the entire property. Since we had put up electric fencing across the unfenced part to keep the dogs out, I thought maybe it was the possum I had been seeing around, though I had a lot of doubts. The possum was eventually exonerated, though, when my mother-in-law spotted a mom raccoon and three “teenagers” CHASING our 20 lb cats!!

I corrected the design flaw in the coop after leaving a scathing review on Amazon but now I’m paranoid that it’s not the only one. Would raw chicken meat be as tempting as young poults? I want to test the coop against the raccoons before we even think about putting our four new babies outside (Medea, Fatdactyl, Mary Jane and Chewfie Jr. ). I can’t handle any more heartbreak this season!! Thank goodness Little Debbie, Torchic and Marcie Joy are still thriving (and terrorizing our cats, lol).

If you bought a coop off Amazon, your first step is to set it out for the trash collectors and write it off as a loss. You have suffered multiple casualties and have known nuisance predators in your area. You are going to keep suffering more losses with a shotty pre-fab coop.

I think it is incumbent upon owners to provide proper housing for their flock. It takes research, time, expense, and sweat, but it is a responsibility. There are plenty of plans for solid DIY chicken coops. You may also be able to convert a shed or dog house. If you don't want to do any work, source one from the Amish or find a solid homemade one on Craigslist or Marketplace.

Do not keep experimenting with something that will continue falling apart on you.